Theodore Edward Rokita is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 44th and current Attorney General of Indiana.
61 Facts About Todd Rokita
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Todd Rokita served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from from 2011 to 2019.
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When Todd Rokita was elected to office in 2002 at age 32, he became the youngest secretary of state in the United States at the time.
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Todd Rokita was a candidate to replace Mike Pence in the 2016 Indiana gubernatorial election after Pence withdrew from the race to be Donald Trump's running mate in the 2016 US presidential election.
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Todd Rokita vacated his US House seat and unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for US Senate in 2018.
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In 2020, Todd Rokita defeated incumbent Curtis Hill for the Republican nomination for Indiana Attorney General, and in November 2020, Todd Rokita won the general election.
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Todd Rokita grew up in Munster, Indiana and attended Munster High School.
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Todd Rokita holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
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The arrest occurred during a traffic stop for speeding in which Todd Rokita allegedly provided false identification and appeared intoxicated.
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In 2018, while running for US Senate, Todd Rokita acknowledged he was underage and possessed alcohol, passed a sobriety test, and that the arresting charges of underage consumption and possession of a false ID were dismissed.
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Todd Rokita has a JD degree from IUPUI Indiana University Robert H McKinney School of Law.
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In 2000, Rokita served as legal counsel for seven Florida counties during the recount for the George W Bush presidential campaign.
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Todd Rokita was Indiana Secretary of State from 2002 to 2010.
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Todd Rokita was elected by his peers nationally to serve on the nine-member federal executive board of the Election Assistance Commission.
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Todd Rokita met privately with eleven members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus to apologize for the comment.
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In 2005, Todd Rokita helped craft and implement Indiana's voter photo identification law.
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In September 2009, Todd Rokita outlined a plan called "Rethinking Redistricting" to reform how Indiana's legislative districts are drawn to reduce gerrymandering.
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Todd Rokita proposed making it a felony for lawmakers to use political data or incumbents' addresses when drawing electoral maps.
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Todd Rokita said boundaries should follow existing county and township lines, and that each of the 50 Senate districts should be divided into two House districts, claiming that would lead to more competitive legislative elections.
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Todd Rokita was a member of the US House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019.
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Todd Rokita vacated his House seat to run for the Indiana US Senate seat held by Democrat Joe Donnelly, losing the Republican nomination to eventual senator Mike Braun.
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In October 2013 during the American government shutdown, Todd Rokita was interviewed by CNN journalist Carol Costello.
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Todd Rokita's pointed questions about Rokita's defense of the shutdown that furloughed hundreds of thousands of government employees without compensation while he continued to receive his paycheck, were eventually countered with his statement that she was "beautiful but you have to be honest" and that journalists were part of the problem.
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In 2020, Todd Rokita challenged incumbent Attorney General of Indiana Curtis Hill for the Republican nomination.
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Todd Rokita's nomination marked a political comeback after his unsuccessful runs for governor in 2016 and US Senate in 2018.
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Todd Rokita was sworn in as Attorney General in January 2021.
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In 2021, Todd Rokita faced scrutiny for collecting tens of thousands of dollars in payments for advisory roles from various healthcare and pharmaceutical companies while holding public office.
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Todd Rokita led a letter signed by 20 Republican state attorneys general opposing the For the People Act, election reform legislation introduced by Democrats in the United States House of Representatives.
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In March 2021, Todd Rokita testified in US Senate Rules Committee in opposition to the legislation, threatening to sue if the bill became law.
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Todd Rokita asserted voting laws should be based on voters' perceptions, rather than any actual evidence of fraud.
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Todd Rokita joined other Republican state AGs in suing the Biden administration over an executive order on environmental protection and climate change.
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Todd Rokita's office responded that they would continue investigating the gynecologist.
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On November 30,2022, Todd Rokita sent a complaint about the gynecologist to the Indiana Medical Licensing Board, asking for sanctions on the gynecologist.
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In December 2022, Marion County Judge Heather Welch found that Todd Rokita "clearly violated Indiana law", specifically "the licensing statue's confidentiality provision by discussing the statutorily confidential investigation [against the gynecologist] in statements to the media" in July 2022 and September 2022 before making a complaint to the Medical Licensing Board in November 2022.
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The judge elaborated that Todd Rokita's "comments do constitute irreparable harm" in relation to the gynecologist's "concerns about reputational and professional harm".
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However, the judge rejected the gynecologist's request to stop Todd Rokita from obtaining the medical records of the gynecologist's patients, leading to the gynecologist withdrawing her lawsuit.
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In May 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Todd Rokita issued an opinion stating that Indiana University's implementation of a mandate to show proof of immunization violated state law.
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Todd Rokita cited that Purdue University found a procedural loophole by not requiring vaccination status, but to participate in testing.
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In November 2021, Todd Rokita filed a law suit against the Biden administration opposing a federal mandate.
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In November 2022, Todd Rokita asked the Indiana Supreme Court to decide if students can file class-action lawsuits against Indiana's public universities to recover tuition and fees paid for services not rendered due to cancellation of in-person classes during the pandemic.
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In December 2022, Todd Rokita filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming that the platform exposes minors to age-inappropriate content and puts users' data at risk.
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Todd Rokita stated he believes that life begins from the moment of conception "without exception".
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In 2013, Todd Rokita stated the Affordable Care Act was "one of the most insidious laws ever created by man".
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Todd Rokita has a "D" rating from NORML for his voting history on cannabis-related causes.
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Todd Rokita opposes recreational use of marijuana, citing concern that it is a "gateway drug" to more dangerous narcotics.
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Todd Rokita expressed willingness to support legalization of some medical uses for marijuana only if the THC is removed.
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Todd Rokita is a supporter of industrial hemp, having voted to allow its production.
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In 2017, Todd Rokita voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
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Todd Rokita opposes the Affordable Care Act and voted dozens of times to repeal it during his time in Congress.
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In 2017, Todd Rokita introduced the Stopping Lawless Actions of Politicians Act.
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Todd Rokita supported President Trump's 2017 executive order temporarily banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.
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In May 2019, the Trump White House announced Trump would nominate Todd Rokita to join the AMTRAK Board of Directors.
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The platform initially restricted the distribution of Todd Rokita's message, citing the risk of violence, but later found that the tweets in question did not violate policy.
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On June 15,2002, Todd Rokita won the Republican nomination for Indiana Secretary of State at the state convention over Mike Delph, then an aide to US Representative Dan Burton, Marion County Coroner John McGodd, and then-Vanderburgh County Commissioner Richard Mourdock.
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On February 1,2010, three days after Congressman Steve Buyer of said that he would retire at the end of his term, Todd Rokita posted an announcement on Facebook making clear his intentions to run for the open seat.
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On July 10,2020, Todd Rokita defeated incumbent Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill during the Indiana Republican Party Convention.
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Todd Rokita is a member of the Director's Circle of the Indiana Council for Economic Education, the state bar association, the Knights of Columbus, and the National Rifle Association.
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Todd Rokita has served as Chair of NASS's New Millennium Young Voters Summit of 2004, chair of the standing Voter Participation Committee and vice chair of the Securities Regulation Committee.
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Todd Rokita is a member of the Indiana chapter of the International Flying Farmers, and member of the Saint Vincent Hospital Foundation Board of Directors.
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Todd Rokita formerly lived in Clermont, an "included town" in Indianapolis under the Unigov system.
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In 2012 Todd Rokita ran for reelection from his home in Clermont, but he later bought a home near Brownsburg, a western suburb of Indianapolis within the 4th district.